Lindsay Boxer is on the trail of a killer with her one of her ex-partners when the unthinkable happens... while chasing down a suspect's car, it crashes. When they go to help, they find two pre-teen kids in the front seat. But as they try to get them out of the car, both kids pull guns and shoot the two cops. Lindsay fires back, killing one and paralyzing the other from the neck down before passing out herself due to her injuries. While on forced leave from the SFPD during her trial, she takes a break at her sister's house in Half Moon Bay, California, to try to regroup. However, her detective instincts kick in as the small coastal town is being threatened by a serial killer and she just can't stay away. Yet another really exciting and quick read from Patterson (with co-author Paetro) that proves that it's time for Alex Cross to be retired once and for all.